How my book ended up on “The Big Bang Theory”
In the Thursday, March 7, episode of CBS’s “The Big Bang Theory” Sheldon discovers a copy of my book Experimenting With Babies: 50 Amazing Science Projects You Can Perform on Your Kid and persuades the gang to experiment on the Wolowitz children.
The show, in its 12th and final season, continues to be one of the highest-rated sitcoms on TV, and seeing Jim Parsons as Sheldon Cooper holding up a copy of my book and announcing its title the way it should always be announced (with gleeful anticipation) is totally surreal.
Building Up Steam
“Experimenting With Babies” came out in 2013 and was well received by reviewers and got some favorable press. But it took a couple of years for sales to really pick up.
I have a feeling that people initially bought the book as a gag gift for friends’ baby showers, and then the recipients realized that it’s actually not just a gag gift but a fun, research-backed exploration of child development during your baby’s first two years, and they started giving it as a gift to others.
Eventually, sales grew and began to experience large spikes each Christmas, with smaller bumps around Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.
I’m thrilled that the book has struck a chord with parents, and I hope that it’s helped them to strengthen their bond with their baby.
The episode
I didn’t find out about the episode featuring my book until the script was already written.
Warner Bros., which produces the show, contacted my publisher to get the appropriate clearances to use the book in the show.
I was expecting it to be just an off-hand mention, but it turns out that they incorporated the book into the main storyline of the episode, which is titled “The Conference Valuation.” And some of the experiments the characters mention are actual projects from the book.
Of course, both I and my publisher were thrilled.
“The Big Bang Theory” draws about 18 million viewers per episode, and I would expect that many of those viewers are the ideal audience for the book: they’re mild to moderately nerdy, and they appreciate a fun-loving approach to science.
If even a small fraction of those viewers realize it’s a real book and decide to give it as a gift to a new parent, I’ll be ecstatic.
Perfect timing
There’s another reason I’m happy the episode is airing now.
As it happens, when I received the unexpected news about my book appearing in the episode, I was getting ready to promote my latest book, Experiments for Newlyweds: 50 Amazing Science Projects You Can Perform With Your Spouse, which hits bookstores on April 2 and is available for pre-order now.
Another book (due out this time next year) picks up where the Experimenting With Babies leaves off. It’s called Experimenting With Preschoolers: 50 Amazing Science Projects You Can Perform on Kids Ages 2–5.
By that point, the series finale of “The Big Bang Theory” will have aired — but who knows what other shows might entertain a similar idea for an episode. Whether it’s a series about nerdy newlyweds or about Ph.D. parents of preschoolers, my books have got it covered.
Shaun Gallagher is a former magazine and newspaper editor and now writes books and software (but not books about software). He lives with his wife and children in northern Delaware.
